Rep. Jim Haadsma (L) and Steve Frisbie (R) | Michigan House and campaign photos
State Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Battle Creek) filed for a recount on Monday morning, after losing his bid for reelection by less than 100 votes.
Haadsma’s attorney, Chris Trebilcock told Michigan Advance that they filed a petition for a recount Monday morning, which the Michigan Department of State confirmed.
While initial results of the election showed Haadsma losing to his Republican challenger, Calhoun County Commissioner Steve Frisbie, by 1,381 votes, an error attributed to two high-speed tabulators not combining vote totals led to approximately 2,800 absentee ballots not being counted. Absentee ballots were later retabulated, and the election was certified by the board of State Canvassers on Friday, with official results showing Frisbie up by 61 votes.
“A recount will confirm that the data transfer error involving the [Absentee Voter Counting Boards] for Battle Creek and all ballots that included a write-in candidate have been correctly counted. The Calhoun County canvass was not transparent so a hand recount will remove any doubt around it. This is a standard request when a race is this close. We trust that the hand recount will reach the correct result,” Trebilcock said in an email.
Frisbie told the Advance Monday afternoon, that while Haadsma is certainly allowed under the law to petition for a recount, retabulating the ballots had not changed the result of the election.
“I’m confident that we will prevail in a recount and I look forward to serving in the Legislature in January,” Frisbie said.